As compared with traditional wire-based networks, optical-fiber communication networks are capable of transmitting significantly more information at significantly higher speeds. Optical fibers, therefore, are being increasingly employed for communication networks. In most electronic devices, digital signals are generated and transmitted as electrical signals on conductive wires or circuit board traces. For transmission of high speed signals over long distances, conversion of the electrical signals to optical signals is often performed, to allow low-loss transmission over optical fibers or waveguides. The electrical-to-optical conversions, and eventual optical-to-electrical conversions, are performed using a transceiver which contains optical sources and detectors, as well as electronic control and logic circuitry. In many optical transmission system embodiments, the transceiver is a stand-alone module having an electrical connector interface and an optical connector interface.